Avengers: Ice Has Melted Back to Life
by IBegToDreamAndDiffer
Summary: Tony knew a showman when he saw one. And he meant what he said; no matter what, Loki was going to lose. Only... their conversation doesn't quite go as planned.
1. I

**Author's Note:**

 **Pairing:** Tony Stark/Loki

 **Warnings:** Mild violence

 **Title:** Emperor's New Clothes by Panic! at the Disco

 **Disclaimer:** The world and characters of _The Avengers_ belong to Marvel. I own nothing but the plot and make no money from this story.

* * *

' _There is no version of this where you come out on top_.'

And then Loki kissed him.

Tony's brain short-circuited. Huh. Maybe there _was_ a version where Loki came out on top. Tony very much hoped so. Loki pressed closer, lips cold but tongue quickly warming when it thrust into Tony's mouth. Tony couldn't help it; he groaned and reached up, pushed his fingers through Loki's hair and _tugged_ sharply.

Instead of pushing him away, or stabbing him, or... any of that unpleasant stuff, Loki _groaned_. He moved closer still until he and Tony were pressed right up against each other. Loki's left arm came up, wrapped itself around Tony's waist, and tugged.

Tony gasped and Loki stuck his tongue deeper down his throat. The height difference was... quite a turn on, if Tony was being honest. Coupled with the wall of muscle he was leaning against, the strength in Loki's arm, and the fact that Loki's erection was _definitely_ pressing against Tony's own through those tight leather pants...

Oh, yes. Tony was very much enjoying this. Tony tugged again and was rewarded with a lick against his tongue, a nip of his lower lip when Loki drew back. Tony panted heavily and dropped one hand to push it under Loki's ridiculous coat. He felt a thigh, then an ass, dug his fingers in and squeezed. He was rewarded with a rock of Loki's hips, Loki's arm easily keeping Tony pinned in place so that they rubbed together in the best possible way.

'This...' Tony breathed when he could actually form sentences again, 'is a very bad idea.'

'Yes,' Loki agreed easily. Tony looked up and caught Loki's eyes, a startling shade of blue this close. The bruises beneath did nothing to take away from Loki's stunning beauty. 'I will not stop.'

'You'd better not,' Tony growled. His hand slid from Loki's hair to his jaw and he tugged the god back down for another kiss. Loki moaned against him, _into him_ , and Tony breathed it in. Their teeth clicked together harshly. Loki's hand smoothed up Tony's back to wrap around the nape of his neck.

Tony knew that he should be scared- the guy had threatened him all of four seconds ago- but honestly... he couldn't think. Could barely _breathe_. Was this the sceptre? Had Loki actually gotten to him after all?

Loki pulled back and licked his way from Tony's beard, across his jawline, all the way to his ear. And then he _did_ something with his tongue that had Tony shuddering and arching forward. 'Please,' he begged.

'Already?' Loki growled. 'You _are_ easy, Stark.'

'For you I'll be anything.' And Tony absolutely meant it. If Loki had asked him to toss Rogers off of a building, Tony'd do it. He wanted those lips back. Wanted those hands on his naked skin. _Needed_ that cock in him. Right now. Please.

Loki dropped his sceptre, the clang terrifyingly loud in the room. But Loki stepped forward, forward, pushed and Tony had no choice back to step back. They kept walking right up until Tony hit one of his bar stools. He sat suddenly, stared up at Loki.

The god smirked. 'Kneeling would have been preferable. But I've discovered that I can't always get what I want.'

'That's a song,' Tony, stupidly, said.

Loki quirked an eyebrow. 'Kiss me, Stark.'

Tony did. He met Loki hungrily, arching up off the stool to fit his lips to the Trickster's. His hands found their back back into Loki's long hair. It was surprisingly soft, given how slick it looked, and Tony briefly wondered what product he used until Loki pressed against him. He was still hard and even the bar digging into Tony's back could do little to kill the mood.

Wrapping his legs around Loki's, Tony _crushed_ them together. Everything was suddenly hot and needy, pants being exchanged, saliva slicking their red, swollen lips. Tony bit at Loki and shivered when the god growled; shivered again when Loki _pressed_ against him and _rolled_ his hips.

'Christ!' Tony moaned when Loki grabbed him by the hair and twisted his head to attack his lips at a new angle. He held on as tightly as he could, head spinning, dick _throbbing_. He was seriously about to burst he was that turned on. He couldn't remember the last time someone had made him _this_ hot. Never. The answer was never. Because Loki was sex on legs, Loki's tongue was doing truly wicked things to his tonsils, and Tony was gone, so gone, he couldn't even remember what he'd been here for.

A blue glow made Tony peel his eyes open, just in time to see Loki's eyes flash, brighter than before. The god's gaze became unfocused, hands in Tony's hair lax.

'Loki?' Tony questioned.

The god gasped in pain and his head jerked back. Tony saw green leak into his irises, brighter and more beautiful than the blue, but then it was gone and they were the same colour as the sky.

Tony frowned. 'What-'

Loki's head jerked again and he stumbled back. When he opened his eyes he was staring wildly, right eye twitching, hand echoing the movement. He was sweating suddenly and Tony knew that it had nothing to do with their activities.

' _Stark_ ,' Loki growled and he sounded _pained_.

Everything came rushing back to Tony. Who Loki was. Why they were both here. What Loki had done to Barton, the people Loki had killed... the portal being opened above his Tower.

'I...' Tony gulped, 'what the hell did we just do?'

Loki twitched. He gritted his teeth and every inhale looked like _torture_.

And then Loki snarled and leapt forward. Tony shouted but it was too late- there was a firm hand wrapped around his neck, and it was decidedly _less_ fun than it had been before.

'Loki!' he choked.

'You will all _fall_ before me!' Loki hissed.

He didn't sound... _sane_. That smooth, rich voice he'd used when kissing Tony was gone, replaced with harsh pants and _pain_ filled eyes.

What the fuck was going on?!

'LOKI!' he tried again, struggling against the fingers squeezing ever tighter. 'JARVIS!'

Loki threw him out the window.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I've got _The Avengers_ on in the background as I work on _A Deal with the Devil_ , and when Tony said that first line... I couldn't help myself. I hope you enjoyed the randomness!

Cheers,

IBegToDreamAndDiffer


	2. II

**II**

* * *

 **Author's Note:** My muse does not understand what a drabble is. He likes plurals much more. So have another drabble!

Dreamer

* * *

' _If it's all the same to you... I'll have that drink now._ '

He saw one corner of Stark's mouth lift upward. Loki felt a shiver coarse down his spine. Unfortunately, he couldn't blame it entirely on the beating the green beast had given him. Yes, his body ached. Yes, his head was throbbing. But it was only him, now. The Other's hold had been bashed free and the poisonous whispers floating between his ears were his and his alone.

And Stark... Stark made Loki feel _many_ things.

Stark stared at him the entire time, even while Loki was being cuffed. Thor had large golden things etched with runes; the All-Father's handy work, no doubt. There was a muzzle, too, and Loki snarled at his former brother just for show.

In truth he was exhausted. He didn't care if Thor fixed the thing to his face and never took it off again. He just wanted to sleep. He wanted to close his eyes and not see glowing orbs of purple, see too many fingers inching towards his face. If he could just _sleep_...

He closed his eyes and almost did just that, even while standing and waiting for SHIELD. He didn't doubt that they would be playing host until Thor could drag him home. How long that took mattered not. _Sleep_.

'What now?' It was Stark. Loki would recognise that voice anywhere. His eyelids slid open lazily and he caught Stark staring at him. The mortal stiffened and turned away quickly. He had removed his armour- truly a _fine_ piece if craftsmanship- and was wearing tight... _everything_.

His shirt and trousered hugged every single _inch_ of him. He was wearing some type of undergarment, unfortunately; Loki could see the outline of cloth around his crotch. How upsetting.

His arms were muscled, his chest even more so. And that blue glow was there... arc reactor, Barton had called it. Loki hadn't cared enough to ask; he wondered what it did, exactly, other than power Stark's armour and allow him to fly... it also protected him from mind control. What a curious creature this little mortal was.

Stark was staring at him again. 'See something you like?' he asked. His tone was shaky, veering dangerously close to what they had shared. Loki smirked beneath his muzzle.

'Yeah, yeah; yuck it up,' Stark muttered. 'You won't find prison funny. You know what they do to pretty guys like you?'

Loki raised an eyebrow.

'What, too tough to get beaten up?' Stark demanded. He jerked a thumb at the beast- Banner, was his name now. He was a small man, the same height as Stark, about the same build but without Stark's muscles. His hair had grey in it. 'Bruce did a bang up job earlier.'

Loki's other eyebrow rose. So entertaining.

'Yeah, yeah,' Stark repeated. He flapped a hand in Loki's general direction. 'Laugh it up, chuckles. You're going away for a long time.'

Loki tried to laugh. The plate pressed down on his tongue but a smothered sound did escape.

' _Laugh it up_!' Stark snapped at him.

Loki wiggled his eyebrows.

'Oh, you are, are you?' the mortal demanded. 'Well listen here-'

'Stark,' Romanov interrupted. She looked worse for wear, but nothing a few days wouldn't heal. Loki knew that he had chosen well; these mortals were rather resilient.

'What?!' Stark snapped and twisted to scowl at her. Loki did the same. He didn't scowl, of course, and he lazily swung himself to stare at the woman. Thor's fingers tightened around his chains.

'What are you doing?' Romanov asked, tone pleasant to the ear. Loki heard the undercurrent of interrogation.

'Arguing with an annoying deity!' Stark growled. 'What's it look like I'm doing?'

Romanov stared at him. It was Barton who said, 'Shouting at a dude who can't answer you.'

Stark frowned.

'It's amusing,' Banner added tiredly. 'Keep doing it.'

'I... he's answering me!' Stark near-shouted.

'How?' Romanov drawled.

Stark turned to glare at Loki. Slowly, very slowly, Loki allowed one eyebrow to inch upward. 'See!' Stark said. 'He thinks I'm _amusing_.'

'We all do,' Banner said.

'He's being an asshole!' Stark growled.

 _Am I?_ Loki wanted to question. He simply held his hands up, chains jingling. The Avengers all froze and, as one, turned to face him. Loki was most definitely smirking _now_. Oh, what fun they still were. Loki could get used to this; chains included.

Now that was a thought... Loki turned to face Stark and jingled his chains again. When Stark met his eyes Loki let wicked thoughts enter his mind and leech into his eyes.

Stark swallowed. Stepped back. Flushed a rather unflattering shade of red.

Oh, _Stark_ _understood_.

Loki knew that he did. He chuckled to himself and leaned back against the Crown Prince. While he would very much like to stab Thor again, the older god was stable and Loki was so very tired.

'Uh... maybe he should sit?' That was Stark again. Loki cracked an eye open. When had he closed them, exactly? 'Yeah,' Stark said, 'he should sit.'

And then he was manhandling Thor _and_ Loki onto a couch. Loki was too drained to care at what a sight he must have made. Thor would not return him to Asgard until he had cleaned himself up. Loki would be healed by then and his muzzle would be removed, no doubt. He could set about getting himself a nice prison cell later.

For now...

He nodded at Stark and settled further against Thor, eyes shut once more.

'You're welcome,' Stark murmured.

He had a pleasant voice. Was very easy on the eyes. A genius, Barton had said.

Such a pity that Loki had come and brought war with him. He would have had Stark any other time. He could have had Stark _this_ time. What a being the Midgardian must be, to break through the hold the Other had, to reach Loki in the very depths of his mind and _pull_.

A few words and Loki had suddenly been _awake_ and _craving_ like he hadn't in centuries.

But the Other was not easily beaten. Loki's memories were fuzzy but he did remember throwing Stark through his own window. He wondered if the mortal would hold it against him; the man had lived, after all. Where was the harm?

'Fury's sending a van and some agents,' Romanov murmured. 'We'll escort you back to the Helicarrier. Loki's safe now, right?'

Loki almost laughed. She had picked her words well, even if she didn't know it.

'Yes,' Thor said. 'Loki is still strong; do not underestimate him.'

Well, look who was _finally_ learning.

'But with these chains he cannot use magic. He cannot escape me,' Thor added.

 _I could if I wished,_ Loki mused. He didn't wish. He didn't have the energy.

He was so very _tired_...


	3. III

**III**

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I don't know what this story is. Like most of my stories, I'm letting my muse lead. If he comes up with any sort of plot at any time I'll let you know.

Enjoy?

Dreamer

* * *

No words were exchanged as they made their way to the platform. Well, not platform so much as nicely tiled area. Thor had wanted to take Loki from SHIELD custody back to Tony's Tower; to activate the Tesseract and take Loki back to Asgard.

 _Hell no_ , had been the kindest thing Tony could say. He remembered Loki staring at him as he said it. Could picture the little smirk on his pretty mouth.

 _How about "fuck off"?_ Loki would say. _More apt, yes?_

Tony glared at the god the entire walk. Of course Loki noticed. And of course Loki smirked- well, raised his eyebrow. Same thing.

Loki stared at him whenever possible, even when Tony was behind him and walking by Bruce's side. Bruce mentioned nothing of the Trickster's odd behaviour. Neither did Thor. Then again, Thor looked like he'd just found out his favourite puppy had been kicked. All broody and sorrowful. Loki found that amusing, too. Tony could tell.

They walked across tile and Tony shoved his hands into his pockets. Romanov and Barton were side-by-side and Barton was glaring daggers into Loki through his glasses. Loki raised an eyebrow at him and Tony _heard_ the laughter.

Romanov whispered something to Barton. The archer huffed in amusement.

Loki turned away and, of course, his eyes found Tony's. Then again, Tony _was_ staring at the dude.

Loki held the gaze. Tony felt his breath catch in his chest but made no outward appearance of that fact. He saw Loki's cheek twitch and an eyebrow inched up before settling once more.

Oh, Loki noticed. Loki _liked_ it.

His eyes were such a startling shade of green.

Tony shifted on his feet. He wanted to run a hand through his hair, fiddle with his glasses, but remained still.

Thor had the Tesseract in one hand, trapped in a case that Tony had sped his way through making. It had a handle each end and Thor lifted it. His free hand curled tight around Loki's cuffs.

Loki finally looked away from Tony and met his adopted brother's gaze. There was a brief moment of hesitation, of _anger_ in Loki's eyes, but then it was gone. He was blank as he took the other handle and held tight.

They were engulfed in light and Tony almost stepped back. Almost. He stared at Loki, even when the Trickster became nothing but various shades of bright blue light. Then white. Then he and Thor were gone.

Tony shook Rogers' hand. He invited Bruce to live with him. Bruce blinked in shock before politely declining, but offered to visit. Still, he wasn't leaving for a while; SHIELD were going to pay him for what he'd done and Bruce was waiting around for the cheque. Tony'd pay Bruce himself if he had to.

He took the doctor back to the Tower. Pepper wasn't going to be back for a few days. Tony had to have the Tower inspected, see what was structurally sound and what wasn't. Until then he and Bruce were on their own.

Bruce retired to the guest room in Tony's penthouse.

Tony went to the bar and poured himself a drink.

He tilted the glass and watched ice tumble over more ice. He swirled again and took a sip before setting the glass down. His eyes strayed to the stool he had sat on only two days earlier. He had to lean over the bar to stare at it. He could picture himself backed into it, butt barely grazing the surface before Loki captured his mouth...

Loki had kissed him. For some reason. And for some reason Tony had kissed back. Yes, Loki was hot; breathtakingly so.

He was also a maniac. A murderer. A _mass-murderer_ who'd tried to kill Coulson (Tony still wasn't okay with Fury's lies, even if he did understand them).

Tony was in a relationship... sort of... mostly... he did love Pepper.

He was pretty sure he loved Pepper.

But Loki was... _Loki_.

Tony frowned. He thought about Loki, standing on the tiles, chained and gagged and not fighting one bit.

Loki's eyes were green.


	4. IV

**IV**

Loki flexed his fingers and rubbed his left wrist. He'd been escorted to his prison cell by a dozen guards with Thor bringing up the rear. Apparently Thor wanted to see this to the very end. He had been told not to visit Loki again; Loki wondered if his former brother would head the All-Father's order.

The cuffs hadn't been removed until he was safely contained and Loki watched in amusement as the four guards who had accompanied him in quickly backed out. Did he terrify them, even now?

Yes, he realised when he saw the terror they were trying to contain. They had heard about his adventures on Midgard, yes. But to be so terrified here, in Asgard, with Prince Thor by their sides?

How interesting.

'Brother-' Thor began and Loki turned to hiss at him;

'I am not your brother!' He paused at the flinch Thor was unable to contain. He started pacing the cell. The floor and three walls were white, with a narrow cot in the far left-hand corner, a table and armchair opposite. Loki ran his fingers along the right wall and found a shower stall and toilet behind a flimsy white screen. 'I was never your brother,' Loki added.

'We were raised together! Fought together!'

Loki rolled his eyes and kept his back turned. Was Thor really going to repeat himself?

'Do you remember nothing of the past thousand years?!' Thor demanded. 'We hunted together, Loki! We celebrated together and hurt together. We-'

'I remember always standing in your shadow!' Loki snarled. He turned to glare, eyes filled with almost as much venom as his heart. 'I remember being cast aside when the Warriors Three wished for your company. I remember being beaten down by _your_ friends when I used my _tricks_. I remember being spat upon and spoken about when others thought my back turned. And I remember _you_ , Prince Thor, laughing with them!'

Thor's eyes had grown wider the longer Loki spoke and Loki tossed his head in disgust.

'I remember never being your equal, Thor,' Loki muttered. 'I remember being raised to be a King, only to learn that I would never sit on a throne of my own. It is not just your father that I despise.'

He tossed one hand out and his jacket disappeared, cast aside and draped over the armchair. Loki sat himself on the cot and bounced once. The sheets were of a high quality; the wood, too. But it was narrow, no room to spread out. A bed unbefitting a prince.

Befitting a former prince and now war criminal, Loki supposed.

He reclined and crossed his legs at the ankle, one arm stuffed under his head to prop it up. He stared at the bright ceiling and wondered if the lights would ever go out. The room beyond his cell was dark, lit only by flickering torches interspaced between the cells.

It wasn't bad as far as cells went. From what Loki had seen on his short walk, other prisoners did not have such a nice cot. They had a wooden stool to sit on, no table to rest their arms upon. No books, either, and Loki turned to eye the stack sitting beside his cot.

Courtesy of his mother, perhaps? He doubted that the All-Father wished him to occupy his time with anything other than reflecting upon his own actions.

Then again, perhaps the All-Father was wise enough to know that a bored Loki was a dangerous Loki.

Because the simple matter was; Loki had nothing. He had no family, no friends, no acquaintances whom would take him in after his disaster on the Throne of Asgard. Loki was clever, yes; a genius, powerful, so many other things. But he was bad business. Until this entire episode passed, faded from the memories of those around, Loki would not be welcomed by even the weakest willed criminals.

All Loki wanted to do was sleep. Rest. Rebuild his mind and his energy. Asgard offered protection even if it came in the form of chains and a cell that suppressed his magic to this one room.

It was better than roaming his way around the Nine Realms, the Other and Mad Titan breathing down his neck. Let them think him dead or buried. Let them try and reach him here behind Asgard's walls. If they did Loki would disappear.

He didn't want to run. Not now, not ever. But especially not now.

He turned back to face the ceiling and closed his eyes. 'Go away, Thor,' he sighed. 'I am tired.'

Thor did not go away, not for a while. The guards shifted uneasily and eventually left in groups, two Æsir dressed in the armour of Asgard's prison guards taking their places. They dragged a table with them and sat at the end of the room near the stairs.

Eventually even Thor seemed to realise that he was wasting his time. 'I will visit soon, brother,' he stated.

Loki smirked. 'We shall see,' he said.

He wondered, as he listened to Thor's heavy boots move away, if he should tell the All-Father the truth. Would Odin grant him freedom then? Or would he think it another one of Loki's lies? There would be evidence, Loki knew. Even he would not be able to shake the taint of the Tesseract's hold quickly.

But he had learned harshly that the All-Father did not believe him. Perhaps he had never taken Loki's words at face value. Perhaps, even when he was a babe, Odin had watched over him with suspicion, waiting for Loki's true nature to truly shine through.

So many thoughts. So many plans.

Loki sighed. He breathed in, out, a few more times until he felt himself relax into the cot.

It was better than sleeping on a cold, hard floor made of rock.

If he _could_ sleep, that is. Unfortunately Loki no longer trusted his own mind. So many memories, so many harsh truths and even harsher lies he had been forced to ponder while in the Other's grasp.

Sleep would be... bliss.


	5. V

**V**

Loki was ruining his life. And the bastard wasn't even _here_. He'd been dragged back to Asgard over a month ago and Tony was having a hard time shaking off the taint he had left behind.

New York was still rebuilding. SHIELD and Tony were helping, either with money or brute man power. Bruce had disappeared to God knows where, Romanov and Barton were back working for SHIELD, and Rogers was... Tony didn't actually know what Rogers was doing. The super soldier visited sometimes; spoke about nothing and everything. Tony rarely paid attention.

Stark Tower had been rebuilt and was stronger than ever; reinforced, missile-proof windows, a better helipad and landing pad that could get Tony outfitted or disrobed in seconds. The bracelets would have an Iron Man suit wrapped around Tony in a heart-beat.

All was well.

Right? Right.

Except that Tony didn't know what to do with his time. He split himself between Stark Industries, studying the Chitauri and their technology, and working on his suits.

None of it held his attention for very long.

And Pepper had broken up with him.

Tony hadn't been surprised. In all honesty, there was only so many times a woman could walk in on her boyfriend with a dildo up his ass before she started questioning, if not his sexuality, then at least his attraction to her in particular.

It probably _was_ the worst thing that she had ever caught him doing.

Tony felt like an asshole.

Tony _was_ an asshole. Because Pepper had every right to break up with him. Tony had made out with another dude while dating her. Tony kept thinking about said dude whenever he was with her- whenever he _wasn't_ with her, in truth. Tony kept masturbating and thinking about Loki and making excuses so he could lock himself in his room or workshop and masturbate and think about Loki some more.

Pepper said that it was okay. Didn't ask what had happened to make him... do what he was doing.

Tony didn't offer any answers.

And he couldn't stop shouting Loki's name when he came.

At least it was just him, now.

Only it wasn't. Not really. Because Loki was still on his mind. _In his mind_. Had he truly gotten to Tony with that goddamn sceptre? Maybe it was late onset. Maybe Tony was slowly going crazy.

Maybe it had nothing to do with Loki at all.

But Tony was going to fucking find out.

' _How are you going to find out, sir?_ ' JARVIS questioned from Tony's StarkPhone. While Tony was working with SHIELD, he wasn't really _working with SHIELD_ , if that made sense. He wasn't about to hook JARVIS up to their systems. They were already trying to hack Tony, and Tony had already hacked into the Helicarrier and every other system SHIELD had.

But they didn't need to know that.

'Shut up, JARVIS,' he muttered. He looked back over his research of the sceptre. While the Tesseract was gone, SHIELD had _petabytes_ of information about the Tesseract stored on their system and Tony had spent a lot of his spare time studying it. Some information had been written by his father; hand-written notes either typed and put into the system or just outright photocopied and stored safely away. Tony squirmed every time his eyes landed on his father's familiar scrawl. Howard was stalking him, even now.

Tony had spoken to Bruce about the sceptre, too, and its relationship with the Tesseract. While Bruce didn't know much, having basically run away as soon as the invasion was over, he _had_ been compelled by it, if only briefly.

He frowned as he pulled up the notes he'd taken when he and Bruce spoke. He compared it to Barton's official statement, the archer detailing the time he'd spent under Loki's thrall. Dr Selvig had filled out a report, too, and his was a bit harder to follow than Barton's.

But they were similar enough; the sceptre hadn't taken over so much as twisted their own thoughts and desires. It had made them think that the Tesseract was the only way to achieve their greatest dreams. It had made Barton feel as though he _had_ to help Loki, because how else would the Tesseract be able to touch everyone else and free their minds?

Tony read about their compulsions, the way Selvig had rolled his head when the pressure became too much, the way Barton had started _twitching_ when he was idle for too long. There were details about pain, too; the Tesseract or the sceptre or hell, maybe just Loki, punishing them when they began to think too clearly.

A cloud of blue, a flash of _insight_ , and suddenly they were under its spell once again.

Tony thought back to the gasp Loki had let out when they broke apart from their kiss; the pain in his eyes and the green that had leaked into them, if only briefly. He remembered Loki's frankly ridiculous speeches and the bruises under his eyes.

Tony frowned. Something wasn't right


	6. VI

**VI**

Loki heard the approaching steps but did not look. With his magic contained it was impossible for him to stretch out and try and discern who had decided to visit him. It was probably Thor again; the blond idiot never had known when to quit.

So when the mystery person stopped at the barrier containing him, Loki kept his eyes on his meal. He wasn't hungry; couldn't eat when his own screams still echoed in his ears. He tried, though, because he was growing too thin even to his own eyes. He wouldn't be able to recover if he continued to waste away.

He forced another piece of meat past his lips and had actually managed to swallow when his visitor spoke;

'Loki.'

His name. Tone soft, loving, _motherly_.

Loki closed his eyes. He picked up his napkin and dabbed at his lips. Hands dropping into his lap, the table hiding the way he twisted the fabric of his napkin between his fingers, Loki murmured, 'All-Mother,' in response.

Frigga sighed. 'I am your mother, Loki. No matter what you do or may do. I will always be your mother.'

'But you are not.' _Open your eyes_ , Loki told himself, _face down the woman you once saw as your blood_.

But he didn't. He dropped his head and continued to stare at the blackness of his own mind.

'I did not birth you,' Frigga said, 'but I raised you from when you were a babe. I took you into my home when Odin brought you back-'

'Stole me,' Loki interrupted. 'Our Realms were at war. I was a prize and nothing more.'

'You were a _babe_ in need of _help_ ,' Frigga argued. 'Think whatever you wish of Odin, but do not think that. He has done wrong; when you live as long as he has, Loki, you cannot always be right. But Odin believed that you were left to die and he could not bare the thought of leaving you. You were an innocent babe and he gave you his name.'

'So that he could use me as a pawn in his many games!' Loki shouted. He pushed himself back from the table, stood and opened his eyes.

He immediately regretted his decision. Because there his mother stood in all her glory; soft blonde hair, blue eyes wet with un-shed tears, hands smoothing nervously over a satin gown the colour of dawn. Loki swallowed down all the emotions trying to escape his throat. But they were building even now, threatening to explode and make Loki _rage_.

'What happened to you, Loki?' Frigga asked.

Her voice broke him and Loki looked down, tears stinging his eyes. 'Too much,' he said. 'I will never again be the son you once loved.'

'I will always love you.'

'I am a monster.'

'No!' Frigga snapped. Loki risked a glance at her. Frigga looked _murderous_. 'No, Loki!' she growled. 'No matter what you do or say you are _not_ a monster. Say what you will of me, of Odin, of your brother; do not ever _dare_ to think such thoughts of yourself!'

Her eyes were fierce, glowing with the belief of what she was saying. A memory of a similar defiant being fluttered through Loki's head and he almost collapsed against the table.

What was _wrong_ with him? How could he think of _Stark_ when his mother had finally decided to visit after all these months?

What else had the Mad Titan broken?

Loki sat back in his seat, head down and heart racing. He hadn't thought of Stark in _weeks_. Dreams amongst nightmares did not count.

'Loki.'

He didn't look up.

'Why won't you tell Odin what happened?' she asked. 'I know you. Your actions on Midgard were those of a haunted man.'

Loki chuckled. 'Even I cannot ignore whispers that promise everything.'

'Who whispered to you?'

'Nobody,' Loki said.

'Please-'

'Enough,' Loki interrupted before she could interrogate him any further. Odin had demanded answers when Thor had brought him back in chains. He did not get them then and would not get them now. Loki was the God of Lies and every word out of his mouth would be met with the disdain he had been seeing for centuries. That would not change now. 'Leave,' Loki said, 'please.'

It was no more than a whisper but he heard Frigga exhale heavily. 'For now,' she said. 'Do not think this conversation forgotten.'

Loki was silent as he listened to his mother retreat. He squeezed his eyes shut and willed his heart to slow


	7. VII

**VII**

Tony was still in a state of shock that Thor had actually agreed.

It had been six months since aliens had invaded Earth, led by another alien who thought himself a King. Thor had landed somewhere in Central Park and turned up at Tony's Tower one sunny afternoon. Apparently the Bifröst was working again and Thor was prepared to take his role as Midgard's defender to the extreme.

Tony didn't quite know what the Bifröst was or how it worked.

He didn't really care.

Not at the moment.

Because he was in Asgard now, a guest of Prince Thor himself. Apparently when one of "Earth's mightiest heroes" requested to speak to a former enemy, even the All-Father let him in.

Again; Tony didn't really care.

All that _mattered_ was that he was being taken down to Loki's cell. There were others; Tony could see various human-looking-Æsir occupying some cells, a being with dull grey skin and bright yellow eyes in another. They all stared at Tony and the grey dude hissed something in tongues.

Alrighty then...

Thor stopped before his brother's cell and gestured between it and Tony. 'Here he is, Son of Stark,' Thor said. 'He may not speak. Loki does not speak much.'

'Really?' Tony asked. When he'd met Loki the dude hadn't shut up. Even _gagged_ he'd found a way to annoy the shit out of Tony.

'Really,' Thor echoed. 'My father demands answers; Loki has none. At least, not any that he wishes to share.'

'We'll see about that,' Tony muttered. 'You can go.'

Thor looked surprised but after a few seconds he inclined his head and began to leave.

He paused at the foot of the stairs. 'Remember our bargain, Tony Stark. You must answer the All-Father's questions for holding court with Loki.'

'Yeah, yeah.' Tony flapped a hand at him. 'You'll get your answers from me. Believe me; I love talking about myself.'

Thor tilted his head but said nothing. His cape swished around his legs as he left. The guards didn't. Tony could see them moving down the hall, towards the cells in the very back that were darker than Loki's. There was another set of stairs leading up and Tony wondered where they went.

But he had more important things to do.

He turned to survey Loki's cell; harsh lighting, spartan, a dull gold glow at the edges of the "barrier" Thor had said contained the madman.

'Should I feel honoured, Man of Iron?' Loki drawled. His voice sounded hoarse from disuse. 'Or do you always visit your chained enemies?'

'You aren't chained,' Tony commented.

Loki chuckled. 'Not in any way that you could see or comprehend, mortal. I am cut off from everything I hold dear.'

Tony's eyebrows rose. 'You hold things dear? Like what? Your pretty little glow stick?'

A smirk tugged at Loki's lips. He still wasn't looking at Tony, seemingly content to lay back on his cot and gaze at the ceiling. 'Believe me, Stark,' he said, 'I am quite glad to be away from it.'

Tony frowned slowly. Now _why_ would Loki be happy about being parted from his weapon?

'You have questions, I assume?' Loki said before Tony could say anything. 'Or did you simply wish to come and gloat? I thought you had done enough of that when I _was_ in chains.'

'I don't gloat,' Tony lied. Because he _did_ gloat. All the damn time. He lorded his superiority over his own robots when he got the chance.

' _Lie_ ,' Loki breathed.

'Shut up, Prancer.'

'Is that what you wish me to do?' Loki questioned. 'You came quite a long way to speak nothing and stare at me.' He finally turned to look at Tony. There was mischief in his eyes. Tony hated that he could read the bastard so well. 'The Bifröst has been fixed and you are the first mortal in over three thousand years to step foot in Asgard's halls. What a _spectacular_ Midgardian you are.'

'Well.' Tony paused, licked his lips. 'We finally agree on something.'

'Oh, _yes_ ,' Loki purred, 'you are something else altogether.'

Tony frowned at that. 'Hey, wait, _no_!' He pointed a finger at the demi-god. 'None of that.'

'And why ever not?' Loki questioned. He slid smoothly from the cot and stood, tossing aside the book he must have been reading before Tony and Thor arrived.

Tony had forgotten how _tall_ the guy was. And he was so slim out of his armour; still muscular, sure, but he was so much smaller without all that leather and metal and that stupid-ass cape.

'Did you not enjoy the time we spent together?'

'You brought an alien army to my planet,' Tony growled.

' _Your_ planet?' Loki grinned. 'Did they make you King since I was last there? However did you do it? I knew that the army was a bit much.'

'You don't need to be a king to rule,' Tony told him.

Loki smirked.

'And I don't rule it!' Tony added hastily. Because he knew what Loki was thinking; _you stopped me yet believe yourself above the rest of your race? How very hypocritical of you, Stark._ 'But it's _my_ planet. Just like Asgard is yours. How would you feel if I flew in and started blowing up all your golden towers?'

'I would not care one bit,' Loki commented. 'Then again, I am _not_ of Asgard.'

'Really?' Tony said. ''Cause you were singing a different tune when you popped outta the Tesseract.'

Loki pursed his lips at that, eyes roaming over Tony's face. 'Yes,' he agreed, 'but I wasn't... quite myself, you could say.'

'What?' Tony frowned. 'You mean crazy wanna-be King isn't the _real_ you? Does the real you like butterflies and confetti?'

'I do not know what either of those things are,' Loki commented. His gaze finally moved from Tony's face to... _other_ areas of Tony's body.

Tony scowled. 'Hey, eyes up!'

Loki's mouth tilted upward and his gaze kept roaming. 'Does it make you uncomfortable, Stark?'

'Yes!' Tony snapped.

'And is that why you are here?' the Trickster continued. 'To demand answers from me?' He met Tony's eyes again. 'Greater men than you have tried. I have not said a word.'

'Maybe they just don't know you like I do.'

'Oh, you _know_ me?' Loki demanded. His eyes had taken on a pinched look and his lips twisted into a grimace. 'You do not _know_ me, Man of Iron. I do not even know myself!'

'There you go again saying shit that I don't understand or care about,' Tony said.

'Is this how you get what you want?' Loki questioned. 'I'm beginning to think that Barton was lying to me.'

'Excuse me?'

'You cannot be the great man Barton warned me about,' Loki said. 'I was told that you were a genius; that you were difficult to understand, to pin down. He told me that I did not want to make an enemy of you. Yet here you are, proving once again that your species is utter _filth_.'

'Fuck you!' Tony shouted and bashed his fist against the barrier keeping him and Loki apart. Only his hand went straight through and Tony tumbled, almost went ass-over into the goddamn cell.

Loki stepped closer and Tony scrambled back, almost tripped over his own feet in the process.

'Do you see how it works?' Loki asked. 'It keeps me in, Stark. It does not keep others out.'

Tony frowned and rubbed at his arm. He felt like he'd pulled something. 'What if someone tries to hurt you?'

Loki... stalled at that. His eyes widened before narrowing once more and his breathing stuttered.

But then he was grinning, that same crazy tilt to his lips that showed shiny white teeth.

'I can still use my magic within this cell,' Loki said. 'The All-Father was _kind_ enough to offer me that, at least.'

'Okay...'

'Why don't you come in here and see if you can _hurt me_?' Loki suggested. And his voice had taken on that suggestive tone again, a purr that hid dark thoughts and feelings that made Tony shiver.

'Uh, I'll pass, thanks.'

'What a shame.' Loki sighed and stood tall. He linked his hands behind his back. 'And here I was hoping that you wished to pick up where we left off.'

'You mean when you threw me out a window and I shot you?' Tony said.

Loki smiled. 'I was talking about the scene just before that, actually. Do you not think about it?'

'Yes, I do!' Tony shouted. Loki looked mildly shocked by Tony's admittance, by his tone. He got over that _very_ quickly.

'Is that so?' he hummed.

'What did you do to me?' Tony demanded.

' _Do_ to you?' Loki drawled. He walked back to his cot, back to Tony as he said, 'Why, Stark. You act as though I _forced_ you to kiss me.'

'Didn't you?'

Loki scowled at him as he sat down. 'I am many things, Stark. If I want sex I can get it; I do not _force_ people, even pathetic mortals such as yourself.' He tossed himself back onto the sheets and picked up the book he'd abandoned.

'Really?' Tony glanced around the cell, grinned sharply when he looked back at Loki. 'With these digs people must be _throwing_ themselves at you.'

'So witty, Stark,' Loki muttered. 'You must get _hundreds_ of bed partners with that humour of yours.'

'Oh, all the time,' Tony said, just to dig it in. He saw Loki's body tense. 'What, all the sex I'm having bother you?' he asked.

'It might, if you were having any,' Loki said. He sniffed and turned a page in his book.

Tony... _glared_ at him. He inhaled sharply, exhaled, but it did nothing to quell the anger bubbling in his gut.

'You don't know anything about me!' he spat.

'I know enough,' was Loki's comment.

'I... you... _fuck_!' Tony shouted.

Loki paused. 'Eloquent.' Flicked another page.

'As if I'd have let _you_ fuck my, anyway!' Tony shouted. 'I have a girlfriend, you know!'

Loki was on his feet and before Tony in a heartbeat. Despite the faint gold glow between them Tony still jolted and stepped back.

'You let a mortal woman _touch you_ when I haven't in _months_?' He slammed his fist against the barrier and it flashed in intricate gold patterns beneath his fist.

Tony blinked slowly.

And then... Loki grinned. 'Why, Stark,' he cooed, 'you should not be so deceitful with the God of _Lies_.'

Tony swallowed thickly and licked his lips. 'I'm... not lying,' he said.

'Oh?' Loki's grin only widened. 'Why don't you come here, Stark; tell me face to face.'

'We are face to face.'

'No.' Loki tapped the barrier. 'We are still separated. Do you remember when I touched you?'

Tony shivered involuntarily. Loki's words conjured images, memories, of the brief time they'd spent together.

'I...' He licked his lips. Loki's eyes dropped to follow the movement. 'Your eyes are green,' he murmured.

'They are,' Loki agreed.

'When we kissed...' Tony hesitated, wet his lips again, 'they were blue.'

Loki's smile was soft, now. 'They were,' he agreed again.

Tony frowned. 'Why?'

Loki leaned forward until his forehead was pressed against the barrier. Tony watched gold lines spider beneath the pressure, an ever present show of just what this was; a prison, not a room.

'Why don't you ask Thor?' Loki hummed. 'Oh, that's right. Thor didn't _notice_.'

'He didn't notice that his brother's _eyes_ changed colour?!'

'He is not my brother, Stark!' Loki shouted.

'Tell him that!' Tony snapped back.

They fell into silence, each staring at the other. Tony's skin was itching, gut growing hotter the longer he looked. He was almost certain that Loki hadn't done anything to him. Tony was often blind-sided by pretty people and shiny things.

But this... this went beyond all reason, beyond all sane thought. Loki was a _monster_.

Tony wanted to fuck him. Have Loki fuck him, actually. Maybe they could switch later down the line.

Tony flinched at his own fervent thoughts. Loki noticed.

Because of course he did.

'Having interesting thoughts, _Anthony_?' Loki purred.

Tony gulped. 'Don't... don't call me Anthony.'

'And why ever not? You Midgardians have many names. I was told that friends use first names with each other.'

'We aren't _friends_!' Tony growled, only to see Loki grinning at him. 'And...' Tony didn't want to admit it. He did anyway; 'I like it when you call me Stark.'

Loki's eyes flashed a deeper, darker green. His pupils were expanding. 'Well,' he breathed and poked his tongue out. He almost licked the barrier. ' _Stark_.'

Tony stepped up and through the spell. Loki backed up in surprise but his eyebrows rose and he glanced up once Tony was through.

'Well.' That same breathy tone, the one that made Tony's knees weak. 'That answers that particular question.'

'Shut up,' Tony ordered. He jumped Loki before the Trickster could say anything more.

Loki was _strong_. Tony had forgotten just how strong, and just how big, Loki's hands were; they grabbed Tony's ass and didn't let go. Loki pulled him closer as Tony wrapped his legs around Loki's waist, arms around his neck.

Tony paused before their lips could press together. His breathing was already ragged, Loki's no better. He felt Loki's chest rise and fall rapidly against him.

'What have you done to me?' Tony whispered. This time he sounded... _awed_.

Loki huffed a laugh. 'I did nothing, Stark,' he said. 'It is you who has cast a spell on me.'

Tony smashed their lips together.


End file.
